In 2017, we saw many brands embrace Chinese culture and heritage in meaningful ways – Prada’s iconic restored Rongzhai mansion in Shanghai is just one example. Is this trend set to continue in 2018? What’s in store for Shanghai’s newest heritage restoration turned immersive destination, Columbia Circle? How effective is looking to Chinese heritage to forge marketing and management strategies? And why are so many brands only now looking to the rich history that China has always had?

Read more at RTG’s WeChat. (Follow us by scanning the QR code in the image above).

Ermenegildo Zegna Creative Director Alessandro Sartori may not have specifically had the modern Chinese luxury consumer in mind when designing his Winter 2018 Couture and Z Zegna lines, but you wouldn’t guess that from the results.

This January at Milan Fashion Week, Ermenegildo Zegna Couture debuted a line uniquely blending heritage and modernity. The show, set on a snowy runway by Swiss artist Thomas Flechtner, though layered in new techniques and concepts for the modern and adventurous man, remained thoroughly rooted in traditions of classic Italian menswear.

Both Zegna Couture and Z Zegna’s Winter 2018 lines come straight from nature: in the case of couture, the use of Oasi Cashmere dipped in natural dyes made from flowers, herbs, wood, leaves and roots. For Z Zegna, the brand’s TECHMERINO™ with its athletic leisure attitude presented ideal options for today’s consumers seeking the adventures of trekking as much as the luxury of this heritage menswear brand. These new lines are tailored perfectly to the tastes of modern Chinese luxury consumers for whom function is just as important as fashion.

After Tencent Holdings announced its lead investment to take a 14 percent share in one of China’s largest mall developers, Dalian Wanda Commercial Properties, Women’s Wear Daily (WWD) wondered – why?

“It’s not surprising to see Tencent making this move, especially in light of Alibaba’s acquisition of China’s top retail and supermarket brand Darunfu back in November,” said RTG Consulting CEO Angelito Tan, Jr. “Both Tencent and Alibaba are looking for ways to capture data from off-line traffic — whether that’s in one of Darunfu’s supermarkets or Wanda’s malls. They’d like to have ownership of the verticals that support mobile payments. The goal eventually is to use the behavioral analytics they gather to predict consumers’ future behaviors and plan their business strategies accordingly. These are smart moves for brands: Look at the behavioral analytics, develop algorithms, and enhance the shopping experience.”

Following its predecessor, Neko Atsume, another game from the same Japanese game developer, Hit-Point has recently emerged. Tabi Kaeru has caught the attention of China. It is the No.1 most downloaded free app on Apple’s iOS China App Store. But what is all the hype and surging popularity for this game? Why are screenshots of the game appearing everywhere on WeChat and other social media platforms?

Read more at RTG’s WeChat. (Follow us by scanning the QR code in the image above).

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Happy Chinese New Year

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